Orfi secures historic squash double as Asal retains men’s title

Eighteen-year-old Amina Orfi has rewritten the record books at the 2026 PSA World Squash Championship in Giza, defeating compatriot Nour El-Sherbini in a five-set final to become the youngest women’s world champion in the sport’s history. The victory also makes Orfi the first player to simultaneously hold both world junior and senior PSA championship titles.

Orfi, currently ranked third in the PSA world rankings, overcame a challenging final against the 31-year-old El-Sherbini, who was seeking her ninth world title. The match, which lasted the eighth-longest time for a women’s match in history and the second-longest for a PSA World Championships final, ended with a scoreline of 6-11, 11-6, 11-9, 7-11, 14-12. Orfi secured the decisive point with a powerful backhand that El-Sherbini failed to return in the fifth game.

The Egyptian teenager’s path to the title included a four-set semifinal victory over top-ranked Hania El-Hammamy. Orfi recovered from losing the opening set 10-12 to win the next three 11-7, 11-8, and 11-9. Following her triumph, Orfi described herself as “speechless,” noting that the win marked her 12th PSA title and the culmination of a season marked by tough losses.

In the men’s final, defending champion Mostafa Asal retained his world title by defeating seventh-seeded Youssef Ibrahim. The 25-year-old Asal won the 57-minute match 11-4, 11-1, 12-10. Ibrahim had reached his maiden world championship final after defeating Paul Coll and Karim Abdel Gawad in the earlier rounds, but Asal maintained control throughout the contest.

Asal, who grew up with Ibrahim, acknowledged the difficulty of defending the title in front of a home crowd in Egypt. He credited Ibrahim’s performance despite a shoulder injury, describing his opponent as “superhuman.” The Professional Squash Association, the global governing body for the sport, oversaw the event, which saw both Egyptian players secure significant victories in their respective divisions.